An Earlier Chance
by canthelpbutnotice
Summary: What if Rory went to Chilton during Freshman year? What if she met a special somone before Dean? What if she gave that someone a chance? Trory and a little AU.
1. Chapter 1

I own nothing.

This is a complete Trory.

****

Here's some background info since it's kind of AU. Rory has gone to Chilton since freshman year and her and everyone else in the story are sophomores. Tristan has teased her mercilessly since she got there and Paris is kind of a friend. Jess got to Stars Hollow the summer before freshman year and has tried to date Rory. Now he's more like a big brother and likes and wants to stay in Stars Hollow. There is no Dean.

Reviews are very welcome since my English teacher says I have no imagination and couldn't write well to save my life. And this is my first try so please try to be nice.

"So you don't want to go out with me?"  
  
"Yes, exactly."

"You really want to go out with me."

"Yes, exa…no, no. I didn't mean that. You tricked me."

"Pick you up at six tomorrow, Mary."

__

He won't really. He's just trying to…go out with me. No, he's a jerk. He's the King of Chilton. He'd never want to go out with me.

"Crap. My bus."

****

At Stars Hollow

"Hey Jess. What's up?"

"Nothin."

"Do you even like it here?"

"It's better than my mom's so yeah I guess."

"So if you want to stay here you'll give me those cigarettes or I'll tell Luke and he'll ship you back to NY."

"Fine, here."

"You owe me a favor."

"Why?"

"I just saved you so you owe me."

"One favor. I don't want this hanging over my head for the rest of my life."

****

Saturday 5:30 p.m.

"Um…Rory?"

"Yeah, mom."

"Can you explain to me why there's a BMW outside and a really hot guy getting out of it?"

"WHAT!?!"

"Dear daughter you are about to break my eardrums."

"Sorry." Then Rory joined her by the window. "Oh god I thought Tristan was kidding."

"Tristan. Evil Tristan. The one who made your life a living hell at a living hell."

"Yes him. I'll get him to go away."

****

Outside

"What do you want Tristan?"

"Me? I only came to pick you up for our date."

"You have got to be kidding me."

"No, not really. I even brought you a dress…and coffee."

"Ooh coffee. From Luke's too. How'd you do that?"

"Well I had to bribe it out of a really grumpy guy."

"Flannel shirt?"

"No, Metallica."

"Ah…Jess."

"Your boyfriend?"

"No more like older brother."

"So will you go out with me?"

"Fine, but only because you brought coffee."

"Here go change."

"Such a fancy dress. How'd you get my size and where are we going?"

"Your grandmother and charity dinner."

"Have to impress the parents. Can't bring a blonde bimbo."

"No. Besides they've seen most of my dates, this time they're worried because I want you to meet my parents. And I think my little sister will really like you."

"You have a little sister?"

"Yeah, my parents actually love their kids which explains why I haven't been kicked out of the family yet. So you'll go?"

"I have to meet the people that love you. You should go inside and get questioned by my mom while I change."

"All right."

"Mom this is Tristan, Tristan meet my mother. I'm going to go change now."

"Okay. Who are you and what do you want with my daughter?"

"Don't worry Ms. Gilmore my intentions are good."

"Sure they are and it's Lorelai."

"Look Rory's special to me. She's not like the others I date. She's smart but doesn't like to show off. She doesn't want to be popular but doesn't want people to hate her. She's the first girl that didn't melt at my feet. Instead she insulted me and practically hated me. She's beautiful but doesn't even realize it. She thinks that she deserves none of the attention that people give her. She has never been conceited and gives people including me chances that they don't deserve. At first those things just made her a challenge to me but now they're what made me fall in love with her. And so far this has been the only chance I've had to prove myself to her"

"Wow. Talk about a life story."

But unknown to them Rory had just heard everything he had said. 


	2. Chapter 2

I'm saying this now. Disclaimers apply to the rest of the story.

Thanks for the support all you people. I'd tell my English teacher that but I highly doubt that she'd believe me.

"Wow Mom, you didn't kill him."

"Yeah this one's a keeper."

"Uh huh. Are you ready to go Tristan?"

"Sure Rory if you're ready."

****

In the car

"So what kind of charity dinner are we going to?"

"It's for disadvantaged kids in Africa. My parents are one of the largest contributors."

"That's really sweet but I have a question for you."

"Shoot."

"Well you mentioned something about your parents being weird about you wanting a date to meet them. So why did you want me to meet them?"

"Since you apparently find me increasingly annoying I want you to see how I really am behind the whole Chilton thing. You know I really have two faces and you're going to be the first to know both sides. Not even my parents know how I act at Chilton."

"Doesn't the headmaster mention your um…attitude?"

"Nope the only thing he reports on are my grades, which by the way I have the 4th highest GPA in the class." 

"Do you really have a little sister?"

"Yeah, she's great not even annoying."

"She must be so cute."

"Why would she be cute?"

"Cause you are minus your attitude…I did not just say that."

"Sorry babe you just admitted what every girl already knows."

"See again that attitude once you start to be a nice guy you're a jerk all over again."

"Well I'll just stop talking if it bothers you that much."

"No, I want to hear about your other life."

"Okay, what do you want to know?"

"Um…how old is your sister?"

"Eight."

"Wow, such great detail."

"Well, my attitude might come out again. You can stop with the small talk. We're here."

"Um…wow, are you sure we're dressed right."

"Yeah don't worry it's semi-formal."

****

Inside

"Hey, Mom. Dad. Sorry we're late. The drive took a little longer than expected." He followed the statement up by kissing his mother on the cheek.

"No problem. Traffic can be a pain. Is this the young girl that you were so anxious for us to meet?"

"Yeah, this is Rory Gilmore."

"Hello, sir."

"A Gilmore? Your grandparents are lovely people."

"Yeah, they're really sweet."

"Please both of you have a seat they're about to start."

Tristan being a true gentleman pulled out Rory's seat before sitting down.

Rory noticing Tristan's little sister decided to talk to her.

"Hi. What's your name?"

"Jessica Kimberley DuGrey. Are you Tristan's girlfriend?"

"Um…no."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because he was mean to me and then decided to be nice and bring me here."

"Hey, I was not being mean, Mary."

"Sure you weren't. So what grade are you in, Jessica?"

"Wow. Has Tristan been a good brother and helped you with homework?"

"Yeees."

"So is Tristan a good boy?"

"Yes."

"Don't worry Rory. She's just saying that cause she doesn't know how he really acts."

"Hey, I am a perfectly good son, Mom. And since when is the topic of conversation me?"

"Since you brought someone that I can tell embarrassing stories to?"

"No not the stories."

"Ooh…stories. This'll be great dirt at Chilton." (A/N - I'm going to stop here since it's kind of pointless now.)

****

Back to Stars Hollow

"Wow."

"What's that supposed to mean, Mary?"

"How can such great people raise someone like you?"

"Well, thanks for the compliment."

"Seriously, how can you stand it?"

"Stand what?"

"I hear dramatic attitude changes are bad for your health."

"I'm not that bad at school."

"You have a very good way of avoiding the truth."

"Are you trying to tell me that I'm a horrible person?"

"Not horrible. You are really sweet to your sister."

"So you would go out with me if I acted this way all the time?"

"Why? What are you getting at?"

"Well, will you go out with me?"

"But you see I already did."

"Please? A real date? One that doesn't involve my parents?"

"All right. But you better be nice or I'll sic Luke and Jess on you."

"If I'm not living up to your standards, I'll take whatever punishment you fell necessary."

"All right, when?"  
  
"Saturday. 6:30. And dress casually with tennis shoes."

"Good night."

"What? No kiss?"

"Maybe you'll have better luck next week."

"I sure hope so." Too bad Rory didn't hear him this time. 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N - Yeah, it's been a very long time for any of my stories. But now I'm inspired or at least stalling the process of doing homework.  
  
Rory was up in her room preparing for her date with Tristan after some expert advice from Lorelai. That is until she heard the phone ring and immediately ran out of her room to dive under the couch.  
  
"Hello," she answered breathlessly.  
  
"Now usually I'd make some suggestive comment on how eager you are to talk to me but since I can't see you tonight I think I'll refrain."  
  
"It's nice to hear from you, Tristan. But why an hour before our date, the one that you so pleadingly begged for," Rory shot back, setting herself upright from her diving position on the floor.  
  
"Because I have to watch Jessica tonight since it's the servant's day off and my parents made plans to go out," he grudgingly admitted but groaned when he heard something valuable break in the background, "and it doesn't really help that she's in the midst of a temper tantrum."  
  
"Oh, poor Tristan. You get to deal with a whining seven year old," she answered masking her sudden and unexplained disappointment with sarcasm. "But I could come over and help you."  
  
"You don't have to. And besides I think that dealing with Jessica in this state might drive inexperienced people to insanity and I prefer my dates sane."  
  
"Don't worry about it. I've had my share of dealing with temperamental little kids. I can help you out."  
  
"That's not all you can help me out with," he tried to bit the comment back but he stopped a little late.  
  
"I could've sworn I heard you say that you were going to stop today, Tristan."  
  
"No, that was just when you first answered the phone."  
  
"You're impossible," she gave a deep sigh as she repeated the too-often- heard words. "So are you going to give me directions to your house?"  
  
"Yeah," he responded. Tristan repeated the directions then gave her his thanks before hanging up.  
  
"Someone want to remind, or make that tell, me why I am doing this?" Rory asked to the empty house and obviously got no answer. Sighing she grabbed the Jeep's keys then wrote a note for her mom who was still at Luke's.  
  
During the half hour drive Rory pondered (A/N - I like that word) her early question but found no answer when she pulled into the massive driveway of the impressive DuGrey mansion.  
  
Answering the door was not the expected butler, which surprised Rory until she remembered why Tristan was babysitting, but the usually cocky Tristan with the most exhausted expression she had ever seen. So exhausting that she bust up laughing on his front door step causing the tired look to be replaced with a weirded out one.  
  
"Sorry, its just that you look so funny," she had managed to gasp out.  
  
"Yeah well you'll be this tired after an hour here. And if you can stop laughing and get over the threshold I'll let you in."  
  
"Well, someone's a grouch when he has to watch his baby sister," Rory responded, stepping in and letting him take her coat. "Where is the source of your problems?" she pondered until hearing a crash coming from deep within the house.  
  
"I'm guessing the kitchen," he stated tiredly. Then Tristan led the way through the maze that he calls home.  
  
Sadly, only a mere five minutes later, Rory and Tristan were resting on the couch in the entertainment room while Jessica was sitting up close eating a popsicle and watching cartoon reruns.  
  
"And just why didn't I think of this?" Tristan asked Rory quietly as to not disturb the seven-year-old's concentration on Wile E. Coyote.  
  
"Because I'm so much smarter than you," she responded smugly.  
  
"You're so much more than me in many different ways," he stated dreamlike after turning to stare at Rory.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean DuGrey?" Rory asked apprehensive of his look.  
  
"You're amazing, Rory," Tristan answered after she turned to meet his gaze. Slowly they both inched closer and just when she could feel Tristan's breath on her lips, they were interrupted by the squeal of a seven-year-old that had just dropped her popsicle. Tristan groaned audible while Rory refused to accept what had just almost happened.  
  
A/N - Please review since I have lost a lot of confidence in my writing after not writing for a while. 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N - So I died. No, not really. Just finished finals thank god. Yet I can never seem to escape school, or summer school. Anyways this seemed so much longer when I was bored in class and wrote it all out on paper. So normally when people don't have required obligations, i.e. school, updates come a lot faster. Sorry not one of those people but I will try which is contrary to my work ethic. 

  
  


Rory closed the door to her house and slumped down onto the floor, confused by the night's events. Noticing a presence above her one eye, at first, slowly opened to be greeted with the sight of a very interested and curious Lorelai. A long, distraught groan escaped her lips as Lorelai dragged her up and into the kitchen where fresh coffee was waiting. Not wanting to have to hammer out the confusing details of her now chaotic life, Rory's forehead hit the table as soon as she had drained her coffee. 

  


"Damn it, child, I gave birth to you. I have every right to know every singe,tiny, insignificant, unimportant detail that happened tonight or I will torture you for weeks. Besides you leave the house with no explanation besides 'Took the jeep. Have to go to Tristan's. Be back soon.' I mean who knows what could have happened in that huge, giganto mansion that he probably has. You went to this random guy's house without the slightest intention of telling me, your mother and not to mention one of your best friends, what happened even though you were supposed to...go out with him," she trailed off with a confused look on her face. "So I'm guessing that could qualify as your date?'

  


"We babysat his little sister and he almost kissed me." Rory put her head up long enough to choke that out and then another 'thud' was heard in the awkwardly silent kitchen. 

  


"So he tried to force you? I am going to kill, dismember, and boil that little, stuck-up, preppy, wannabe bad boy th-" Lorelai was unceremoniously cut off by another head-raising from Rory.

  


"He called me amazing and we leaned in and his little sister screamed because she dropped her popsicle," Rory clarified in a not-so-clear manner then walked to her room where she proceeded to pass out on her bed.

  


"A little boy is in love with my little girl." Lorelai smiled wearily after processing what Rory believed to be an explanation. Vowing to finish the conversation later she finished her coffee then went to her room.

  


Rory woke up late Saturday morning or technically early Saturday afternoon, partly because she had an exhausting week at Chilton and partly because her mind was unconsciously avoiding the utterly confusing issue of last night. Desperate for a coffee fix she stumbled into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes because of the blindingly bright sun. Finding an almost, threateningly written note from her mother to finish last night and go to Luke's for dinner Rory grabbed a cup and went into her room to change. With the more fulfilling parts of her day planned she settled into a Saturday ritual of reading a book while eating ice cream until she noticed a little blinking light on the answering machine. Quickly subsiding from an unnecessary panic that it might be Tristan Rory reasoned that since she had woke at one in the afternoon it could be anyone calling for anything. Too bad those Gilmores aren't known for their good reasoning. 

  


"Hey Rory, it's Tristan. I was wondering if you could call me back cause um...yeah, I just...want to uh...talk to you so...um...bye."

  


Getting a message from Tristan, especially a nervous, stuttering Tristan, wasn't exactly high on her priority list at the moment so she fled...to Luke's.

  


Once inside the restaurant Rory plopped onto a stool and let her forehead hit the counter.

  


"You're scaring the customers," Jess offered after one too many beats of silence.

  


"Like you care, Jess. Coffee. And don't you dare try to give me decaf," she all but growled letting her frustration of certain events show. 

  


"What happened to you?" Jess asked cautiously, not really willing to deal with an emotionally disturbed Rory. Watching her inhale a cup of coffee he knew enough to refill before expecting a coherent answer.

  


"I almost kissed the bane of existence, the spawn of Satan, the devil reincarnate, Lucifer himself," she cried out, receiving exuberant looks from the few out-of-towners. 

  


Jess glanced around almost self-consciously as if not wanting anyone to see his concern for her. "I'm guessing Tristan," he said refilling her empty-again coffee cup.

  


"You know the way I talk about him I'm surprised you even know his real name," she answered without the slightest hint of seriousness in her voice.

  


"I'm trying to contain the obligatory emotions for example pound the crap out of him," he answered in the same sarcastic, cynical voice that she used. 

  


"Mom offered death. I'm amazed you could tone it down that much," Rory answered remembering the somewhat one-sided conversation she had last night.

  


"I'm sure Luke could do worse than death," he said, amusingly, referring to Luke's fatherly instinct towards Rory. "Seriously though does someone need to go hit him?" This time his tone was serious and the look in his eyes hinted at protectiveness.

  


Rory easily laughed at Jess' sudden attitude change, marveling in the differences of when he had first moved here. "If that had happened do you think our conversation would have lasted this long? You would have already been drafted in the regimen to kill Tristan."

  


Immediately his demeanor was more relaxed and his voice was once again light with an underlying tint of concern. "Then what's the problem with it?"

  


"You mean besides the fact that I had more than platonic feelings towards my sworn mortal enemy? Did I not say _almost_ kissed? As in unfinished? As in I get to work out my feelings and talk to him. Do you know how difficult it is to talk to Tristan DuGrey? Of course not, you've never even met him."

  


Jess blocked out the rest of her babbling, having already picked out the important parts. At a pause in her rambling he quickly interjected, "So now I guess you call him."

  


"Now," she squeaked uncharacteristically, "I haven't even figured out what to say, hell, I haven't figured out what I _think_, especially about him. What if he acts like the same jerk he is at school?"

  


Jess came out from behind the counter and gently steered the reluctant Rory towards the door. "If he's an asshole, hang up. If not, the words will come to you." She was now completely out of the diner and heading in the general direction of home. "That, or you'll stutter yourself to death," he added under his breath, watching her walk sullenly away.

  


Upon reaching the living room Rory hoped a telephone search would stall the upcoming events. "Damn," she muttered under her breath when the phone was very obviously under a pile of magazines. Rory paced the room, phone in hand, while she started trying out what to say. A shrill ring interrupted her thoughts, startling her, and the phone went flying...only to land safely on the couch.

  


"Hello," she answered breathless from the previous fright.

  


"Rory? It's Tristan." 


	5. Chapter 5

*click* and then a dial tone was what Tristan heard after a few seconds of waiting. Apparently Rory didn't want to talk to him. Lorelai would have at least made fun of him for a little bit. Shrugging, Tristan finally put the phone back and rested against the headboard. Since it was obvious Rory was not about ready to talk to him he gradually fell asleep thinking about her. 

  


Rory spent her weekend or the remainder of it thinking about Tristan and wondering what he would have said if she hadn't so abruptly hung up. Deciding to tell Lorelai she was subjected mocking and torturing on the Gilmore's new object of fascination. She was almost grateful for the promise of school on Monday to take her thoughts off her new problem and onto something more practical: school and grades. Too bad she remembered that he would also be there and more than likely become an even bigger distraction. 

  


So Rory after putting plenty of thought and consideration decided on the best solution to her current trouble: running from and ignoring him. Boldly she shattered her old schedule of getting around school. Changing the times that were required to unload/reload her backpack, bolting in and out of her classes just as the bell would ring, taking the long way to classes. This system of quick change worked for oh, two days when Tristan cornered her ten minutes before school actually started. 

  


"You know, running away from me just shows that you care."

  


Rory let out a heavy sigh and sagged against her locker as she heard his voice a little too close to her ear. "And here I thought I was getting rid of you and your suffocating ego."

  


Tristan backed off a little as she opened her locker door pulling out random books. "So I'm guessing you didn't want to talk over the weekend."

  


"Gee, now whatever gave you that idea? The fact tat I didn't return your messages or maybe the time I hung up on you." By now she had whirled around to face him, red-faced and obviously angry.

  


"No, it was actually something Lorelai said. About you needing to time to work out all your feelings."

  


This time Rory couldn't even tell if he was lying as Lorelai was capable of doing something like that. "You're bluffing. Mom would never do something as stupid as tell you what I was thinking even though my weekend consisted of no thoughts of you. None, whatsoever. So, now you can take your properly deflated ego to home room where it belongs."

  


"We're not talking about what happened Friday. New topic?"

  


"If you're going to insist on being here, you can at least give me that much."

  


"Mary, I could give you so much more than just that," Tristan paused, awaiting her enraged reaction, "I could get you a date to prom."

  


"Now why would I want a date to this prom when I could save so much time and energy and just go to oh, maybe, my senior prom?"

  


"Because then you might not have such a willing and eager date as I am right now."

  


"And if I take someone else?" Rory questioned all her thoughts focused on finding a way to beat Tristan since he would probably turn this into a way to get her to go to prom with him. Now none of her attention was used on understanding the slightly compromising position Tristan was hell bent on establishing.

  


"Sorry, only Chilton students allowed." This really wasn't true and Rory would have his head if she found out the truth but it's not like she paid any attention to all the dances.

  


"I'll go by myself," she stated in a sudden outcry of girl power.

  


"Again, sorry, couples only."

  


"I won't go at all," Rory had suddenly remembered that she had a choice in the situation.

  


"Hm, curious how I know more about your life than you do. Paris assigned you the prom as a Franklin assignment. How are you going to do the article if you're not actually going to the dance?" His smirk was a triumphant one as he watched realization dawn on her face and a scowl taking over her usually angelic face.

  


"Fine, fine, I'll go with you. And as to what happened Friday you will never mention that."

  


"Don't sound too excited to go with me, Mary," Tristan called out leaving after getting what he had come for.

  


"Don't worry. I'm not!" Rory yelled out to his retreating figure. Banging her head against the lockers, once, twice, she thought _How do I always manage to get the worse of situations?_

  
  
  


A/N - Alright I know that prom doesn't really go like that. But Tristan is just using her obliviousness to his advantage. And plus this is my story. Thanks for the support people who even bother reading the musings of a fourteen year old. Anyway nothing will be up for a really long time since, you know, new school year and all. I'm sure plenty of you are willing to put a trigger to their head as I am ready to do. Not really. 

  
  
  



	6. Chapter 6

A/N - Sorry I haven't done much of anything to anything lately. It's finals time at my high school so I'm just avoiding studying.

  


"Will someone please explain to me why I got roped into covering the sophomore prom?" Rory practically screamed as she walked into the Newspaper room. At her uncharacteristic yell for attention all eyes immediately turned to her. When she realized that she had gained everyone's gaze she mumbled a quick sorry and blushed embarrassed. Finding Paris attached to the main computer and evidently not even hearing a word of her outburst. Rory approached her cautiously, like a person would when walking up to an angry lion or something to that extent.

  


"You're not getting another story, " Paris responded to Rory's unasked question. Whirling around in her swivel chair she continued to speak. "All last year and for the past couple months you begged me for a cover story or a major event. And now you have one. Granted it's not front page but it is a major section of our prom issue. So I finally give you what you want and now you're upset. Tell me what is this sudden change of heart from oh, last Friday."

  


Rory's eyes were downcast as if ashamed of herself for being this futile. This time she had really angered the king or queen of the jungle and her reason for wanting to back out would not exactly make Paris a happy camper. "I, uh, stumbled into a trap."

  


Suddenly her interest was piqued and Paris was suspicious as to what would make the normally collected Rory fumble for words and an excuse. 

  


"I kinda put myself in an awkward situation. That sort of..." Rory trailed off scared at what would come if she revealed her explanation.

  


"What? Just spit it out already Gilmore."

  


"IgotbackedintobeingTristan'sdatetoprom," she suddenly rambled no longer at a loss for words. Rory resisted to put her hands over her head and duck for cover while Paris resisted the urge to laugh out loud which quickly turned into a look of awkward nervousness.

  


"Don't worry Rory I, uh, actually already have a date for the dance. So it's alright that you go with Tristan," at this Paris turned around in her chair and went back to playing around with the layout for said prom issue.

  


"Oh, okay. So are you going to tell me who this mystery date is?" Rory asked, suddenly uninterested in her own "dilemma" and plenty interested in who Paris would even consider dating.

  


"Just a friend that I've known for a little while. He's not really into the whole social scene so it's kinda nice that he's going with me," Paris responded not turning around or else Rory would have spotted the slight blush that crept into her cheeks.

  


"All right, all right, you don't want to tell me but I'll find out about the dance." Rory walked away and began preparing herself to break the news to her mom. Her first formal at Chilton.

  


During lunch Rory noticed the multitude of girls fuming silently in her direction. Getting tired of the dirty looks she went to search for Paris who, lo and behold, was cooped up in the newspaper room. "You're going to the prom with Tristan remember," reminded Paris when questioned.

  


Rory sighed and blew a strand of hair out of her face before dejectedly replying, "Oh, yeah."

  


Surviving the rest of the day with many reminders of who she happened to be going with, she gratefully reached her last class of the day, Basic Graphics, a required course. Entering the room and dropping her backpack with a heavy sigh, Rory noticed that the four girls who usually came in barely on time and threw themselves at the jocks in the room, were glaring at her quite obviously. 

  


Glancing around she realized, not for the first time, that this was a required class and everyone in here was either forced to the class, clawing and screaming the entire way, or wannabe computer engineers who fell behind. Rory sighed once again as she watched the girls approach her out of the corner of her eye. 

  


"Roxy, is it? I heard you were going to sophomore prom with Tristan DuGrey," Rory heard the blonde leader speak and opened her mouth to reply but was quickly cut off before a word escaped. "Well, that is obviously something you made up in your attempt to matter at this school cause he is mine and I highly doubt that he would be interested in a Mary like you."

  


The girls sauntered away as Rory unhappily mumbled to herself, "It's Rory."

  


As the bell rang she bolted for the door almost ending up in a crash collision with Tristan who was impatiently waiting for school to end. He caught her before she went flying over his right foot and pulled her to the side of the door. "Oh, great just what I needed," she spat out right before beginning to thank him.

  


"Why, thank you, Mary. I always knew that I brightened up your day," he seriously responded, keeping his arm around her waist where he had grabbed her. Just then, the four girls exited the room scowling at Rory before throwing smiles in Tristan direction.

  


He nodded tightly in recognition before focusing attention back to Rory. "You know them," she stated rather than asked.

  


Tristan grimaced inwardly before answering her, "Yeah their uh...leader is Summer. I went out with her for a little while before she got...bored. And now she figures I'll come crawling back."

  


"But, uh, you've already deemed yourself now unattainable to her," Rory elaborated on his explanation, mocking his easy way with the ladies. She smiled slightly as he looked away slightly embarrassed with her interpretation of him.

  


"I guess you'll just have to find out what kind of person I am at the dance," Tristan stated smugly before walking out into the parking lot.

  


Exasperated Rory watched him leave before going to switch her books in her locker. Waiting at the bus stop she noticed that there were a few stray cars still left in the parking lot. Seeing one in particular since the owner was currently leaning against the hood, she squinted against the bright sun and noticed that it was Tristan. Soon after the bus pulled up and she got on not before noticing that Tristan was about to get in his car.

  


Half an hour later and three chapters farther Rory got off the bus and walked to Luke's. Sullenly she sat down in a bar stool and sighed heavily while Jess eyed her skeptically.

  


"All right what's wrong?" he finally asked when Rory didn't move a muscle or even ask for coffee. No answer. "What's with the no talking part? You're kind of freaking me out."

  


"Just a really bad and horribly scaring day. Can you make that coffee to go? I just want to curl up in my bed and die." He gave her another look before he did what she asked and watched her trudge out the door.

  


"Mom, come out wherever you are. I come bearing coffee," Rory called out to the seemingly quiet house. She heard some fumbling, a thud, and then a loud 'ow'. Setting the cups on the kitchen table Rory raced upstairs and found her mother in a sprawling heap at the foot of her bed.

  


"Where's the coffee?" And suddenly despite her desolate day Rory found the need to laugh hysterically at her mother's antics, finally ending up on the floor next to her.

  


"God that so reminded me of all the Twinkie commercials. "Where's the cream filling?" Rory let out in the short pause between laughs. Soon Lorelai was also laughing and they both pulled themselves up off the floor and went downstairs for the coffee.

  


"So anything you need to tell me about, dear daughter? Anything interesting about your day?" Lorelai asked, peering over the top of her cup.

  


Rory stared back at her suspiciously and took her time answering, "Is there anything that you would need to know about? Something so riveting that you just had to know and you couldn't wait for me to get home and tell you myself?"

  


A short smirk appeared on Lorelai's face although the cup covered it and she responded in the same fashion as Rory. "Maybe there is, maybe there isn't. Maybe your grandmother called me, maybe she didn't. Maybe we talked about a certain dance, maybe we didn't. Care to elaborate?"

  


She shot her mother a sour look before picking up their drinks and throwing them away. "You went so far as to talk about this to a women, who, although gave birth to you, you can't really stand."

  


"Well, yes, I would especially if she calls me and asks where we plan on getting a dress cause she knows this just fabulous designer," Lorelai retorted, following Rory out into the living room.

  


Before conceding Rory showed one last ounce of will power and fitfully threw herself onto the couch. "Fine, fine, fine. I have to go to the sophomore prom with the spawn of Satan."

  


"With Tristan?!? Have to? Like you can't get out of it at all?" she questioned adjusting Rory on the couch so that she could sit also.

  


"Yeah, Paris gave the story on the prom and I have no one else to go with." Rory picked up a random pillow and buried her face in it as Lorelai hugged her reassuringly.

  


"You can't go with Jess or someone else?"

  


"Not allowed."

  


"You can't go stag?"

  


"Couples only."

  


"Then, honey, you better start praying for your soul."

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Chapter 7

"It's only Tuesday. How is it only Tuesday?" Rory complained to Paris as they were studying for a major Literature test the period after Newspaper.

Paris glared at her for interrupting the only five minutes when someone wasn't calling one of them for an assignment or help, but nonetheless, humored her question. "Are you really that excited about the weekend?"

Rory suddenly stopped expecting Paris to ignore her cries of dismay as usual and had to come up with an answer to the somewhat rhetorical question. "Hmm...not really. That means I have to go dress shopping with my mom and grandmother. Now my mom I can stand I just don't trust my grandmother in not going overboard."

"Well, if you don't want it to be the weekend then why are you complaining about it being a Tuesday?" Paris asked exasperated and worried that Rory's needless questioning was cutting into her last minute studying time.

"We're in Chilton. When is it not normal to be complaining about being a Tuesday?"

Paris stared at her oddly, knowing this was true but didn't want to give Rory the satisfaction of being right so instead yelled at her, "Damn it, just study already. This room is distracting enough without your pointless questioning."

After the lunch period Rory rushed to her Literature class to get a head start on the test only to find Paris in her seat and already speeding through the test. Sighing she sat down and prepared to work as soon as the teacher dropped a twenty page packet on her desk.

Rory skidded to a halt outside her Basic Graphics class and tried to enter quietly despite the fact that the test had taken too long and she was over fifteen minutes late. As soon as she got one foot inside the class everyone turned and stared at her. Slightly cringing Rory made her way to the teacher and handed him the late pass her Literature teacher had hurriedly written for her.

Free of any chastising Rory took a seat behind an empty computer and began to follow the directions on the board. Hearing a slight commotion behind her Rory turned to face the far back wall where most of the cheerleaders and jocks sat. Someone had the back door to the class open and was even having a conversation with the person outside. Suddenly the guy at the door turned around and appeared to be searching the class.

Rory quickly turned back to her computer when she realized that the guy was staring at her. She heard the door creak slightly and thought that the person had returned to his seat. So Rory almost yelped in surprise when the guy from the door showed up next to her desk, crouched and hiding from the senile teacher.

He quickly made the motion to be silent and pointed to the back of the room. She turned again and realized that when the door creaked someone had actually slipped inside. Tristan had shoved himself into a small corner next to the door, far from Summer and her group and was signaling for her to approach him.

Though she had no idea why, Rory rose from her seat and, while carefully keeping an eye on the teacher, she slid along the wall until only a door separated her and Tristan. "What are you doing here?" she whispered quietly although she suspected that her teacher was in fact sleeping at his desk or else anyone would have noticed Tristan's sudden appearance.

"I don't have a class this period so I came to get you," he answered at the same volume level.

"Well, it's great that you have one less class. I'm afraid I don't. And I really don't want to ditch class so you should have just gone home early," Rory said and started to go back to her seat.

He grabbed her arm before she could leave and said, "I have a surprise for you."

She turned back around, slightly suspicious, "What kind of surprise?"

Tristan smirked evilly, as if she had just fallen into his trap, and tauntingly said, "The kind where you have to leave school now if you want to get it."

Rory, feeling as if there was some plot that everyone knew and she didn't, walked away from him. Tristan was a bit disappointed when she still rebuked him but smiled triumphantly when she grabbed her backpack and came back to him. "This better be worth getting in trouble for."

"Please," he said following her out to the hallway, "Sleeping Simmons won't even know you're gone. Besides anytime spent with me is worth it." He took the books from her hands and she smiled gratefully. Carrying them out to the car he opened her door then got into the driver side. "Promise you won't keep asking me where we're going."

"If I do, do I still get my surprise?" she answered hopefully since he was taking the fun out of being driven somewhere for a surprise.

"No," he replied, starting the engine and pulling out of the parking lot. They drove in silence until Rory started fiddling with the radio, settling on a station she liked. Tristan gave her an odd look, which she didn't notice, but didn't make any move to change the station.

Distracted by her music Rory didn't notice where they were headed until Tristan pulled up to a fancy boutique. She looked up surprised by the destination and said, "You can't possibly be taking me dress shopping."

"Yeah, yeah I can," he replied as he helped her out of the low car, " besides I already have your grandmother's permission who, by the way, loves that we're going together. And your mother said I could, too."

Rory glared at him while cursing her family for subjecting her to this torture, which she had earlier agreed to. "Wait, how did you convince my mom? She thinks you're the Spawn of Satan."

"Well, what can I say? The DuGrey charm never fails." She shot his a disbelieving look and Tristan's facade crumbled, "Fine, I sent, like, a hundred dollars worth of Starbucks to her Inn."

"Damn the Gilmore addiction," Rory said as about five saleswomen ambushed them, recognizing Tristan from the times that his mother had dragged him along.

"Then I guess you won't like what I set up for you." They were lead to a separate part of the store and a whole table covered in coffees was displayed along the far wall. Rory mumbled something incoherent before dashing to the table.

After she had her fill of the coffee the shopping began with Rory growing ever dejected as each dress was presented to her. Finally, she collapsed next to Tristan still in her school uniform. At first he didn't realize she was there, fully concentrated on the magazine he had brought along with him.

"How long have I been at this?" she asked him when he turned to look at her.

"Oh, just about three and a half hours," he answered her nonchalantly, flipping a page.

"I think...no, I know that I have tried on every dress in this store and I cannot, for the life of me, find one that looks right."

Tristan heard those words and knew it was time for his surprise. Sighing heavily he got up from the chair and then pulled her up too. "Wait, what are you doing? Let go of me. I can't walk anymore. And I can't possibly try on another dress."

"Come on," he stood her upright and pushed her in the general direction of the dressing room, "I think there's one more you haven't seen."

Tiredly she pulled herself to the room then squealed and ran back out to where Tristan was waiting. "It's perfect."

"I know it is. I saw it on Sunday when my mom dragged me here on one of famous shopping trips and I knew that you would look great in it. Especially with me as your date."

"As conceited as the last part was, this is really sweet, Tristan, despite the fact that you made me suffer for three and a half hours," Rory replied smiling and surprised him with a nice long hug.

Tristan was beaming when she pulled away and sent her back to the dressing room, "I told you to wait to judge me. Now go get it altered for yourself so I can get you back home before your mom kills me."

Rory laughed and went back in. Half an hour later they emerged both happy for different reasons. Finally Tristan dropped off Rory at her house with a reminder to pick up her dress next Wednesday. Rory entered the house to find Lorelai on the couch reading a magazine. "There he didn't try anything. Happy?"

"You're the one who always claims that he's evil. And obviously not as much as you. I take it the surprise went well," Lorelai responded not even pretending that she wasn't watching.

"Yes, it's the most perfect dress ever. But how could you not let me know about what he was doing."

"Well, how was I supposed to know what was coming? All I do is go to work and I find a giant stash of coffee waiting in the kitchen. So I'm all happy for the next five hours that it lasts me. I get a call from your Bible Boy explaining his little surprise. The next thing I know you're going shopping for a dress because I got coffee. Oh, and I think your grandmother's paying for it," Lorelai added at the end for no particular reason.

"So you let me spend four hours with the supposed evil one because you got coffee?"

"Hey, you got coffee too. And now it's supposed evil one?" smiling Lorelai watched her daughter walk away from her.

"It's being reconsidered," Rory yelled right before she shut her door on her mother.


End file.
